Listen to Your Heart
by gddg3696
Summary: The dream is always running ahead of you. To catch up, to live for a moment in unison with it, that is the miracle
1. Chapter 1

Story: Listen To Your Heart

Author: gddg3696

Disclaimer: I own nothing Switched at Birth

A/N: Hope you guys like this story. It had been brewing in my mind for a bit, but I was too intimidated to upload a young adult Bemmett fanfic. Please review!

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><p>Bay made her way over to Daphne's dressing room, the bouquet in hand. Her steps were quick and precise, no room for any error or delay. As she burst into the room Regina and Kathryn were toying at Daphne's makeup and hair, as well as their own as they tried to fix the mess their tears had evoked.<p>

"Yes, yes, we get it, this is the happiest day of her life, and may we move on? We don't have time to be…" Regina elbowed Bay in the ribs playfully.

"Will you let us enjoy this? Geez, bride's maid-zilla strikes again…" Kathryn laughed at Regina's accurate statement and fastened another pin in Daphne's hair, around the flowers.

"You know Bay, I think they have some kind of medication for your condition… Oh right, relaxation." Daphne jokes, a huge smile plastered on her face. It had been there for months, ever since the proposal. The mothers laughed at Daphne's statement as Bay threw her hands up in defeat before continuing.

"I'm sorry I'm the only one with her eyes on the prize here ladies, but if _I_ weren't conducting this circus, you would be getting married at a drive-through with jeans and t-shirts, washed down with a bottle of beer, and I don't appreciate the fact all my hard work to make this perfect is being taken for granted."

Daphne rolled her eyes, still sporting the permanent smile, and motioned for Kathryn and Regina to grab her train. She stood up, teary eyed and hugged Bay tightly, not removing her hands to sign as she just spoke orally.

"Thank you so much Bay. For arranging the bridal shower, the rehearsal dinner, catering, the cake, the fittings, the dresses, the ceremony, everything is perfect, and I couldn't be any happier to have you as a sister. This is going to be the most beautiful wedding anyone has ever had." Bay hugged Daphne back and then removed herself from her grip so she had her hands free to sigh.

"Right. Well, right after mine." Daphne's face turned blank, as did Regina's and Kathryn's. Bay looked around amongst them. "Oh, what, no one around here thinks I'll get married? Maybe you're right, but I should at least be able to joke about it! Yeesh!" Kathryn was quick to comfort her.

"No, no, honey, of course not. We just figured that, today of all days that topic might be a little… inappropriate, especially because…" Bay halted her next words and signs by grabbing her mother's hands.

"Mom. Come on. I'm not condemned to a life of solitude, organizing this has really… redirected my priorities." Regina and Kathryn nod, before Daphne speaks up.

"May I have a moment alone with my maid of honour?" The mothers kiss their daughters and make their way out as Bay continued to intricately braid the last section of Daphne's hair.

"You know he's here, right?" Daphne asked Bay, not bothering to sign. Bay wasn't looking at her, only at the task of finishing her hairdo. Bay nodded and quickly signed with one hand.

"Yes, I know." Bay held out her hand for the hairspray, and Daphne handed it to her as she sighed.

"Have you seen him yet?" Daphne asked. Bay pinned in the last piece and looked at Daphne sharply in the reflection of the mirror.

"Is my makeup running?" She said, meant to be rhetorical, and Daphne rolled her eyes. They had lived together all through college, until her engagement last year.

"He's been looking for you." Daphne inched out, with a half smile. Bay rolled her eyes and sprayed her hair for what felt to Daphne like the thousandth time.

"If that were true, I would have already seen him."

"Unless you're avoiding him." Daphne guessed.

"Daphne, did you ever think maybe he's ignoring me? He's here for you. He's not here for me. If he were here for me, I would have seen him sometime in the last 3 years." Daphne nodded sympathetically but continued thinking, remembering the time she'd seen him leave.

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><p>"<em>What is this about you leaving town?" Daphne signed almost too close to his face. Emmett only shrugged, continuing to pack some more of the clothes from his dresser at his mother's house. <em>

"_The school year's over. I might travel for a bit." Emmett signed this as if it were the natural course things should have taken, if things were different. _

"_Emmett, the school year is over, but you still have two years left to finish your degree. What are you going to do, transfer next year? You can't just run away from this, you can't run away from her, from your problems." Emmett ran a hand through his hair and rolled his eyes._

"_I'm not running away, okay Daphne? I'm running to. I'm running to where I belong." Daphne sent him a pleading look._

"_You belong here. You have family here, your friends, your long-term girlfriend who loves you, if you leave, you're crazy." Emmett sighed._

"_Then call me nuts. Because I don't belong here Daphne, no matter what you, or Bay, or I try to convince anyone. You always belonged here, in their world, but I never did." Daphne put her hand on his shoulder._

"_Emmett. Pay attention to my hands. What happened wasn't your fault. You leaving will not fix things." Emmett shrugged Daphne's hand off and grabbed the keys to his bike._

"_Maybe not. But I know that it will be better for everyone if I go somewhere more fitting for me." Emmett briefly glanced at something on his desk before heading out to the kitchen. Daphne searched his desk and found something that indeed, would change things for everyone._

"_Gaudellet University, higher education for the deaf and hard of hearing." She read on the inside of the brochure. Gaudellet was in the District of Columbia. Halfway across the country from Mission Hills, from Daphne's and Bay's apartment in Parkville, from home._

_Daphne stormed out of Emmett's room and pushed him in the shoulder so his head banged on the shelf in the fridge. He abruptly turned around, sandwich in hand._

"_This is what it's about? The deaf thing? You are seriously transferring across the country just to escape this? You're only going to make things worse for her, make her upset." Emmett sighs._

"_Daphne. You're my best friend, and I love you. I've been with you through everything, and just this once, I would really appreciate it if you were here for me this time. Please don't tell anyone where I'm going. My mom knows, but that's it. Trust me." Daphne gave him a regretful look, and Emmett kissed her on the forehead._

"_You take care of yourself. Tell me if I need to give Wilke a talking to." Daphne gave him a sad smile and a nod as Emmett went and grabbed his bag from his room. They walked out until he mounted his bike and he signed one more thing as he put the keys in the ignition._

"_Take care of Bay." _

_And then, like the colourful leafs blowing in the wind, like the dust on the pavement taking flight from the friction of the tires, Emmett Bledsoe was gone._

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><p>Emmett Bledsoe was back. He in fact was sitting in a chair, waiting for the ceremony to start, the aisle on his left, his mother on his right. He sighed in his seat, anxious. He watched vaguely as his mom signed again and again about how wonderful the wedding, and the celebrations leading up to it, have been. It was an outdoor wedding ceremony, a beautiful location that Wilke's great-grandfather had owned once.<p>

Emmett had never picture Daphne to be one for the big white wedding, but as he looked around, he realized that hearing people would be sitting in a constant buzz of conversation putting high school hallway chatting to shame. Well, hearing high school hallway chatting. Emmett knew for a fact that an eighth of these guests were Kennish blood, another eighth Regina and Daphne's friends'. The rest of the guests were Wilke's family, friends, and extended family, extended friends. Extended everything. Extended.

A million thoughts were racing in Emmett's mind of the last three years, and they all centred back to the beautiful dark-haired girl he had left behind. He had gotten back late the night before last, and had spent all day sleeping in, with barely enough time to wake up, make himself semi-presentable and get dressed. Melody had stopped him from even considering leaving the house to interrupt the "wedding women while the worked". Apparently, the Vasquez-Kennish household was frantic, driving everywhere, putting everything in place and Bay, was the ringleader with a long to do list and whip in hand.

He smiled as he remembered her always getting her way. His mom had talked him out of confronting her until the ceremony was finished, since she knew it would be emotional to say the least. Nothing but pictures, pictures were all he'd had of Bay for _three entire years_, and to say he missed her was an understatement.

The first week he was gone, he rented a hotel not two hours away from Mission Hills and just cried, all the time. He spent his time putting all the photos he had of Bay into albums, and organizing them, and replaying what could have been, what should have been. He loved her; he loved her so much that he had to leave. He started to drive back one morning, because he couldn't take being away from her, but he remembered that it was his fault. He was the reason this had happened.

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><p>"<em>Okay. I know I said I had reservations at that place you liked, but I lied." Bay feigned offended, but couldn't put out the laughter in her eyes.<em>

"_Emmett Bledsoe, you shouldn't fib." Emmett rolled his eyes and kissed her temple._

"_Trust me, I found a better place. Much more private. Open late." He smiled suggestively and she pushed him off the couch in her studio._

_Bay and Emmett had faithfully dated since they were 17 years old, and now, on summer break from their sophomore year of university, were still together._

_Bay was attending the private university Kathryn had attended, Parkville University, in Parkville, studying English and Art. Daphne was attending the Arts Institute International- Kansas City. They both shared an apartment in between the two schools, with only a 45 minute commute each. Emmett was attending Kansas City College, with a basic Bachelor of Arts, and boarded with two other hearing boys. The only time I have been overjoyed to be deaf, Emmett had once told Bay on one of his visits. He stayed over most nights, since the apartment was actually closer to his school than the girls'. _

"_Fine, impress me." Bay signed teasingly, as Emmett stood up and grabbed something from his bag. _

"_First, open your gift." Bay rolled her eyes and ripped open the wrapping paper to find… a scarf. A very, very familiar scarf._

"_Where did you get this, I always leave it…" Bay began, as she checked the spot in her studio._

"_Tied in a knot under your biggest easel, I know. But I snatched it the other day when you were busy." Bay smiled._

"_You are sort of distracting…" Bay began to kiss him and then pulled away suddenly. "As much as I appreciate reminiscing, what does the scarf have to do with the restaurant?" Emmett chuckled, as Bay had just given him a golden opportunity._

"_It's not a scarf, and it's not your real gift, it's…"_

"_Let me guess, it's a blindfold?" Bay interrupted. Emmett nodded, infinitely proud of himself, and Bay chuckled at the look of accomplishment on his face._

"_This is cute, I admit. So tie the ugly thing on me and bring me to our destination. Oh, but let's take my car, because the last time I rode on the back of your motorcycle blindfolded, I wanted to throw up." Emmett laughs and ties it on, then leads her to the car where her surprise awaited._

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><p>Bay had been nervous all day. All week, actually. At the bridal shower, two weeks ago, Daphne had indirectly begun dropping hints about Emmett coming back. Bay had been too obsessed with planning the perfect wedding to notice until last week Daphne had sat Bay down and just blurted out, Emmett's coming to my wedding. Bay of course wasn't surprised at all. He was her best friend, had always been Daphne's best friend, and his invitation was to be expected. Bay had been too focused on everything else instead of mentally preparing herself, and now regretted it. If she had been a little more prepared, maybe she wouldn't be so nervous to see him after all these years. Well, after one year.<p>

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><p>"<em>Daphneeeeee!" Wilke cringed at Bay's wailing, but Daphne didn't flinch, obviously.<em>

"_Who's idea was it to get her drunk?" Daphne asked, unsure about what to do about the adult sized toddler sitting in her living room, crying on the floor._

"_Yours!" Wilke accused. "You said alcohol always relieves her tension." Daphne shrugged._

"_Bay doesn't drink much, but when I drink, it relieves my tension." Daphne said. Wilke sent his fiancé a dazzling smile and said._

"_Honey, trust me, I know. But all it's done is turn a depressed Bay, into a melodramatic Bay. And I know we stopped by to try to get her out of the house, but now that she's completely plastered, maybe that isn't the smartest idea." Daphne nodded, as she'd loosened up over the years._

"_Well. I can't read her lips because she's a little… distorted. And she's too drunk to sign, so you're going to have to tell me what's going on." Wilke nodded, and walked up to Bay. She was his sister long before she was his fiancé's sister/best friend/roommate. They had been roommates until this school year, when Daphne had moved back to Mission Hills, and into a new home with Wilke. Since then Bay had been living alone, and had slowly been spiralling down as the anniversary of her accident approached._

"_Bay, sweetie, listen to me. We can't help you until you tell us what you need." Bay slowly stopped crying and looked Wilke in the eyes for a while. Then, she grabbed his hand, almost dragging him to the floor, and stood up until she was right in front of Daphne, with Wilke supporting her._

"_Please. Take me to Emmett." Daphne sighed and looked at Wilke. She had been begging for Daphne to just give her a hint to where Emmett was, all month, and Daphne had kept true to her word and shut her mouth. But Bay had been wailing for over two hours, and Daphne was sure Wilke's ears wouldn't be able to take it._

"_I don't think I can Bay. I promised him not to tell you where he was." Wilke shrugged._

"_Well, babe, no offense to little miss sober over here, but she's too hammered to know where we're going if we do take her. It's not exactly a short drive; she'll probably pass out in the car anyway."_

"_I don't know…" Daphne said, unsure. Bay sobered up in that moment and stood on her own, grabbing Daphne by the shoulders._

"_Please Daphne. If you take me, I promise to move on. No matter what happens, I just need closure." Daphne sighed. _

_When Emmett had first left, Bay spent the first couple of months calling and calling, emailing, texting, anything to try to get in touch with him, to beg him to come back, all to no avail. The rest of the year, Bay was too devastated to even consider seeing him again, since she was convinced that he never loved her and she was unfixable. That was a low time. Luckily, miracle of miracle, Ty was back in town for leave and had been just what she needed. He didn't, of course, fill the Emmett shaped hole in her heart, but Ty provided some sort of comfort that Bay needed, and she slowly became a little more human-like. She laughed, and smiled, and went out. For half a year she was fine, applying herself in school until she remembered that it was the time of year when her entire life shifted gears. And now, she wanted Daphne to lead her right into a deathtrap._

"_Fine." Daphne said, and grabbed the keys. _

_They drove to DC that night, and all the car ride Bay cried and sang at the top of her lungs out the window, until she fell asleep. They stopped by a motel halfway there and took a break, until the next morning, when Bay was sober._

"_Daph, now that Bay's sober, you know she'll figure out where he is." Daphne didn't bother arguing this._

"_I know. But I figure no matter what happens, she won't be going back. Either he's coming back with her, or she'll never set foot on the east coast again." Wilke nodded at the severity in her tone, and they turned to the bathroom door, where Bay was retching._

"_Whose idea was it to get me drunk? Jesus, what happened last night? Where are we, and why are we here?" Wilke pointed to Daphne and Daphne shoved him onto the already made motel bed._

"_Last night… you were really depressed, and you kept asking to see Emmett…" Bays eyes widened as she took in what was going on._

"_The last two years I've begged you to reveal his location and suddenly you pull off the cloak and come clean with his hideaway? What gives? Is this a set up?" Bay demands closing in on Daphne._

"_Bay no, come on. I just figured that you need closure now more than ever and…" Wilke then butted in._

"_and last night, you were a loud, dirty mess." Daphne shot him a threatening glare._

"_Sorry babe." He said. Bay sighed._

"_Do you want to go back home?" Daphne asked. Bay nodded._

"_Let me shower. Then we'll go see Emmett." She decided. And just like that they were on the road again._

_By the time the trio had actually reached DC, it was night time again, and they had to sneak into Emmett's dorm room. Daphne knocked on the door, and Emmett's roommate Kyle told them he was at a party in the next dorm, as they made their way over._

_Bay and Wilke felt very surreal in the party. Everyone was clearly deaf, and the only music had no lyrics, was very upbeat, very loud, and very heavy on the bass. Daphne told Wilke to stay with Bay as she looked around, and Bay wandered off before Daphne grabbed her by the hand and signed to her that it was time to leave. Bay shook her off._

"_You're saying we came all this way for you to tell me we have to leave? Yeah right, Daphne." Daphne attempted to grab her arm again, but Bay slipped out of reach as she headed for the direction where Daphne came from._

_It was crowded, and Bay pushed pas various people, all deaf, all signing. She looked for the familiar red hair that would giveaway Emmett's form, but she couldn't find it. Panicked, she took a millisecond to make sure she was sober. She would recognize the boy she loved, wouldn't she? The boy she had loved since she was 17 years old, the boy she had loved for 5 years. Wouldn't she? _

_Bay shoved a deaf boy out of her face as he began to sign an introduction. On second thought, she grabbed him by the collar and signed Emmett's name, fingerspelling it. He signed Emmett's sign name and Bay nodded enthusiastically. The blond haired boy pointed to the back of a leather jacket clad body, with identical red hair to the Emmett she had remembered._

_Bay let the boy go and rushed over to see him until she got a better look. What Bay saw made her want to vomit and she had to turn away just to clear her vision from the red taking over, urging her to dropkick the brown haired deaf girl Emmett was kissing out the third story window. Bay immediately turned into a sprinkler, and to make herself feel better, did all she could. Bay screamed, as loud as she was able, just because she could._

_Emmett and the brunette didn't so much as turn their heads. Bay continued to scream and wail like the broken child she felt like, until Wilke and Daphne made their way over and Wilke carried her out._

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><p>Wilke was about to pass out.<p>

"Dude calm down, you are marrying my sister, not giving a presidential speech, would you quit sweating bullets?" Toby bit out, whispering to his best friend standing as a groom.

"Man, I can't help it, I'm so…" Toby raised his eyebrows expectantly. Wilke twisted his face in an unfamiliar position. "…excited. I mean I'm nervous, but I'm also surprisingly… sure. That this is exactly where I need to be right now. I have no doubt in my mind that this is exactly what I want." Toby gave him a smile.

"Good, because if you left Daphne at the altar, I'd have to deck you. More than once."

"I'm no Emmett." Wilke stated, not rudely, just as a fact. Toby shot Wilke an aggravated look.

"Wilke, they weren't ever engaged. And moreover, I'd watch it, he's here, you know that." Wilke chuckled, as he expected no less.

"I know. I'm actually going to suggest clearing the room when they reunite for the first time in a year. A year for Bay, three for Emmett." Toby nodded and chortled a little.

"Seriously though, in the years I've known you both, I've never seen you two so happy." Wilke patted his best friend on the back.

"Yeah, yeah, save it for the best man speech." Toby put on a shocked look, before asking innocently,

"I had to write a speech?" Wilke shook his head smiling, before Wagner's Bridal Chorus Began, and he threw Toby and shocked look, before staring up at his beautiful, blushing bride.

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><p>"<em>Trust me, I think you'll like it." Wilke promised Daphne, his girlfriend of two years, as they pulled up to another residence. <em>

_Daphne had nervously asked Wilke if he wanted to move in a few months ago, after talking things over with Bay, and he accepted. With the condition that they move in together, at their own place, leaving Bay with the apartment._

"_Yeah, yeah, I get it, love must bloom, you two lovebirds must fly into your own nest, go, get out of here." And with that blessing, they had begun house hunting._

_They were all staying at the apartment, but it was crowded with him, Daphne, and Bay, especially since Bay and Daphne were extremely accustomed to living with each other. Wilke had picked up some habits though, like to buy milk every Thursday and to grab pizza whenever either girl was locked in their room studying. Daphne would be finished school in a year, and with all her culinary success, he had faith that she would eventually open her own restaurant._

_He knew she really wished to own one, to run one, to work in one. Somewhere where she could create for other people, Wilke knew that's Daphne wanted, but was too selfless to ask. He would give it all to her eventually, everything she wanted and needed, and anything to keep her happy._

"_Are you crazy?" Wilke shook his head with laughter._

"_Daphne, come on, this is the third house this month you've given the no-go."_

"_More like the third mansion!" They made their way out of the car, and after the real estate agent, Nancy, had shown them around, Wilke led them to the backyard._

"_Wilke, I know you're… used to living in this sort of lifestyle, but I'm not, and we really don't need this huge house, I'd be perfectly happy…" Daphne signed with one hand and held Wilke's hand with her other. _

"_Daphne, it's not that, don't worry." Wilke led Daphne down a stone pathway, into a luxurious garden with fountains, flowers, all sorts of them. Daffodils, roses, sunflowers._

_Wilke eventually say her down, in the middle of the garden, on a stone bench. _

"_Do you like the garden?" Wilke asked a little tentatively. Daphne smiled, looking around._

"_It's beautiful. There's even Daphne's, over there." Daphne pointed to a shrub of bright pink coloured flowers that shared her name. Wilke nodded enthusiastically. "But, I don't need a gorgeous garden to be happy, or a huge house filled with space and rooms that I'll never use. I love you, and you're all I need and want to be happy. Wilke smiled and kissed her before pulling away._

"_I'm glad. But the rooms don't have to be empty, you know." Daphne gives Wilke a strange look, as if begging for him to go on._

"_We could have other people living here too. And I don't mean boarders." Wilke joked, because Daphne seemed to have turned rigid. He smiled confidently, and continued. "I mean that one day, Daphne, I want to have children with you. I want to have a family with you, and I love you so much, and it would mean the world to me…" Wilke got off the bench, grabbed one of her hands and continued signing with the other from one knee._

"…_if you gave me the honor of becoming my wife. I want to spend the rest of my life with you, Daphne, and I want the rest of our lives to start right now." Daphne still sat on the bench, numb, as Wilke whipped out a box from his pocket and opened the Tiffany's box to reveal a gorgeous ring. _

_Despite what expectations may lead anyone to think, Wilke knew what Daphne liked. It was a simple platinum gold band, no surrounding diamonds, only a solitaire round 0.25 carat diamond set in the center. It was the most simple of the best, just as was Daphne. _

_Daphne still hadn't said anything and Wilke was beginning to become nervous. They had only been dating two years, maybe this was too sudden, maybe she wanted to wait a bit longer. Wilke swallowed hard and let go of her hand to close the box just in time to hear Daphne's panicked voice._

"_What are you doing, you're not going to put it on me?" Daphne said, voice on the edge of hysteria. Wilke laughed, relieved and actually let a tear shed._

"_Sweetie, you didn't even say yes." Once again Daphne shot him a strange glance._

"_I didn't think I had to. Of course I love you, Wilke, and I don't want to spend another day without that ring on my finger and you by my side." Daphne said this confidently, but her voice wavered with the tears escaping faster and faster as Wilke kissed his fiancé, and fastened the ring on her left hand finger where it would stay forever._

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><p>Okay, bear with me. All will be explained in the next chapter. A couple things to address, first of all, Regular Font is obviously current time, which takes place one year after they finished university. So Emmett, Daphne and Bay are about 23, and Wilke and Toby are probably 25. Italics is flashbacks, I'll try to make it clear when the flashbacks happened, but the timeline's not too important. Next order of business, I am quite sorry if this fanfic is confusing but I promise this is going in a good place! It's a multi-couple fanfic, but Bemmett is the main criteria. Please leave me a review, ideas, questions, critique or compliments, I read it all and love you for taking the time to review my work! Thanks readers!<p> 


	2. Chapter 2

Story: Listen to Your Heart

Author: gddg3696

Disclaimer: I own nothing Switched at Birth

A/N: Wow! Thanks for all the positive review, readers! I wanted to let you guys know a few things off the bat, first of all, I am currently also writing another fanfic, Hear Me Weep, go check it out if you haven't already. I'm almost done that one, probably another chapter or two and then an epilogue. After that, I'll be focussing on this fic. Also, Hear Me Weep isn't exactly a prequel, but Listen to Your Heart follows the events of Hear Me Weep, not the TV show.

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><p>Bay took a deep breath as she skilfully waltzed down the aisle, Daphne's only bride's maid. Bay wore a strapless silver and gray dress with lace, and although she had been the one to pick it out, Daphne had given it the stamp of approval. It was a beautiful colour and all around flattering, although she knew no one was looking at her.<p>

Everyone had their eyes on Daphne, and she was glad, because if anyone were looking at her they'd be able to see her on the verge of tears. Both for herself and for Daphne, because she was so proud and happy for the marrying couple, and also because she wished that someday, she would walk down an aisle, and a groom would look at her the way she saw Wilke looking at Daphne.

She had meant for it to be a joke earlier, but in reality she knew she would never marry. Bay may have jumped around a bit in high school, but she had soon discovered that she was a one-man woman. She would never love again, and she knew she couldn't if she tried. And she had.

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><p>"<em>It's good to see you Ty." Bay said, as he walked into her apartment. Ty was still enlisted, but was transferred to the engineering aspect of it all. It's where he fit in best, no risk of the angina costing anyone anything.<em>

_Daphne had driven with Wilke to pick Ty up, but Bay didn't want to go. She never wanted to go anywhere, just sit at home and think about what could and should have been. It had been five months since Emmett left, and Christmas was around the corner._

"_You look like hell, Bay." Ty said this honestly, but with a smile. Daphne was about to smack him over his head until Bay smiled a little and punched him in the shoulder, before walking away. It wasn't much, but it was more progress than Daphne had made in the last five months. _

_Ty had a month of leave and during that time cleaned up around the house. He stayed in their guestroom, as it was a spacious apartment, and one day brought home something that made Daphne freak._

"_What is this?" Daphne said, pointing to Ty's arms, where he held something._

"_A present. For Bay. You know, the giving season and all." Daphne raised her eyebrows, demanding an explanation. Ty rolled his eyes, and Wilke walked up to pet it. "She's always sad, Daphne. Plus, don't think I'm stupid. I'm older and wiser, and from the looks of it, you two will be out of here soon enough." Daphne had blushed at Ty's comment, and Wilke had just placed a kiss on Daphne's lips before picking up the puppy._

"_You know what we should do? We should train it in sign. That way he won't listen unless you sign the word as well as say it. It'd be full proof for wherever we take him." Wilke glanced at Ty. _

"_It is a he, right? Look at his little paws." Wilke was absolutely in love and Daphne shook her head in disbelief. There was no returning him now. Ty put his arm around her._

"_Come on, Daphne. We'll get him supplies. Her having someone to take care of other than herself will encourage some actual initiative, trust me. Bay will have to get out of the house, at least to let him out. Nothing better than a German Sheppard to brighten things up for her." Daphne finally relented and tightened the green ribbon around the dog's neck where a collar should have been._

_Bay had been a little shocked at first, not used to having another living thing to consider. When Ty handed him to her, that's when it happened. Bay immediately softened, and the dog was hers._

"_Steven." Ty crinkled his brow._

"_Are you serious? You've never had a pet until now, and now that you have, you name your dog Steven?" Bay chuckled and slapped his hand away from reaching for Steven._

"_It's cute. Plus, it's easy to sign." Bay finger spelled it for Daphne._

"_You're really going to name your dog Steven?" Daphne asked, but didn't want to dampen Bay's current mood. _

"_Yes! It's cute. Do you normally give pets name signs?" Daphne shrugged._

"_We'll just use the sign for dog, I guess. Steven the dog." Wilke chuckled at the name, and soon everyone was laughing at the idea._

_Ty had been exactly what she needed, especially during this time of year. Bay tried as hard as she could to fake happiness around her parents, but they all saw passed it. Kathryn invited Ty over to spend Christmas Eve and Christmas Day with him, and as he entered she enveloped him in a thankful hug, as did Regina. _

_When he had to leave in a month, Daphne and Wilke were surprised that Bay wasn't upset. She was upbeat almost, at the prospect of having everything go swell for once. _

"_I should have thought of getting her a dog… It would have saved us a ton on tissue boxes…" Daphne fretted and Wilke only looked up and thanked God for allowing Bay to actually smile, laugh, and go out again. Daphne and Wilke said their goodbyes and went to get the car while Bay stayed with Ty for a bit._

"_Listen, Ty, thanks for everything. I mean, I really needed this… I've been a big huge mess since…" Ty finished her sentence, no filter._

"_Since Emmett left?" Bay nodded. After half a year away from Emmett, and everyone tiptoeing around the prospect of bringing up him and her accident, it felt a little weird to hear the name out of someone else's mouth. _

"_No problem, Bay. Seriously, I'm glad I could help, thanks for letting me stay with you guys. I owe you." Bay smiled._

"_Want to cash that in? Because I need a tiny favour." Ty made a face._

"_Alright, alright, whatever the lady wants." Bay swallowed hard and leaned in. Ty wasn't stupid, and he knew what this was about. She hadn't seen Emmett in over half a year and she wanted to move on. He knew she did, but she couldn't. Bay was still in love with Emmett, and if a kiss from him helped her realize it, then fine._

_Bay tried to adjust, but it was a little hard, she wasn't used to him. She wasn't used to anyone but Emmett. They ended up banging teeth and finally pulled away. Bay stared at Ty shocked, and Ty the same until Bay began to laugh hysterically. _

"_Oh my gosh, what is that?" Bay picked something out of her mouth, and inspected what looked like a little piece of ivory. Bay instantly ran her tongue across her pearly whites. _

"_Is that a piece of your tooth?" Ty questioned, about to keel over in laughter once again. Bay smiled a full smile at him, shaking with incoming giggles as she spoke._

"_Nope. It's a piece of yours!" Bay then continued to laugh as Ty ran his tongue over to find a missing piece of his incisor. _

"_Damn it!" He exclaimed, plucking the missing piece of his tooth from Bay's hand. It wasn't noticeable, but it was enough to prove to them both that Ty and Bay would always be friends, and another boy would always hold Bay's heart._

* * *

><p>Daphne was wearing a beautiful gown, simple but elegant. A beautiful shade of white, a strapless sweetheart neckline with lace was exactly what she wanted, and the only thing Bay had let her pick out.<p>

Daphne saw the look of absolute serenity on Wilke's face, and the overwhelming joy in his eyes and she knew that it mirrored her own. She wanted to run down the aisle as if she were about to slam dunk, because Wilke was the biggest, best trophy she could ever ask for.

After her and Emmett tried things out just for him to end up with Bay, Daphne had dated Wilke for the duration of his senior year. As short lived as that was, they were happy, and were having fun. When the school year approached Wilke's cross country move to his Ivy-league future with Toby at Columbia approached as well.

As much as Wilke liked Daphne, he wasn't in love with her. He knew he could be, in time, if he let himself, but he wasn't ready for that. Daphne felt the same, and they parted amicably before his graduation from Buckner. Wilke was still a player, and Daphne was still a nice girl.

They never crossed paths again until the Easter of Daphne, Bay and Emmett's sophomore year.

* * *

><p>"<em>Daphne, will you get the door?" Kathryn asked as she finished up setting the table. Daphne was confused; she had no idea who would be stopping by on Easter Sunday. The Vasquez, Kennish and Bledsoe family were all gathered in the Kennish dining room to celebrate Easter together as the family they were. Daphne had noticed three extra seats at the table but hadn't thought to ask until now.<em>

"_Sure, who's there?" But when Daphne turned around, Kathryn had already made her way to the kitchen to grab the food. Daphne shrugged and opened the front door to be greeted by none other than Wilke._

"_Hey gorgeous." Wilke said and signed as a greeting as he kissed her on the cheek and walked into the dining room. Disoriented, Daphne said nothing, but welcomed Wilke's parents politely._

_Wilke had learned sign in high school for Daphne and Emmett, since Guitar Face was getting more popular and gigs were abundant. He still practiced with Toby, though, as they had been roommates for all of university. The Kennish and Vasquez household now all signed fluently, but spoke as well, regardless of whom they were talking to, out of habit. So Wilke indirectly continued to learn sign through Toby during the past four years._

_Throughout the entire dinner, everyone was happy and thankful until the time where the adults dismissed the children so they could have a glass of wine. Or five. Toby went out to see the current girl she was dating, Jenny something or other, Emmett and Bay went out for a ride on his motorcycle, and with permission from Bay, Wilke and Daphne headed for her studio. _

_They had always had an insane amount of chemistry, but nothing worked out when they were younger. For old time's sake Wilke had whipped out a flask and while Daphne's alcohol tolerance had increased, Jack Daniel's was enough to get her tipsy._

"_You know what we should do?" Daphne asked, words and signs alike slurred. Wilke was on the couch, and Daphne was on his lap, one arm around her waist and one arm with the flask in hand._

" _What?" Wilke asked grinning and hiccupping. Daphne laughed some more before kissing his neck, trailing up to his lips. _

_They continued to kiss and Wilke moved to a more comfortable lying down position, Daphne on top of him. Daphne took a break to breathe as Wilke assaulted her neck with his very, very talented lips. Daphne moaned softly and grabbed his belt. Wilke immediately proceeded to sit up, almost bumping his head against Daphne's and removing her hand. It was like he flushed the alcohol out of his system and was now sober._

"_Sorry sweetheart, that's where I draw the line." Daphne groaned. _

"_Then why did you get me all excited for nothing?" Daphne whined, and Wilke made a disappointed noise at the back of his throat. For once, he was grateful that the alcohol was stopping him from getting it up._

"_It's nothing to do with you Daphne." Her face was flushed, partly from alcohol, and partly because of the embarrassment of being rejected. She rolled her eyes and got up to leave. It was like high school all over again._

"_Hey, honey, wait up!" Wilke signed as he turned her around. Daphne sighed._

"_Don't call me that." Wilke pursed his pretty lips._

"_My junior year of college I had a pregnancy scare." Daphne's eyes widened, and she could tell Wilke didn't want to talk about it. "Me and this chick, Fiona were completely drunk and had sex. I don't remember it all, only parts of it. Anyway, three weeks later she called me up and said she was late, and I was the only one, you know, around that time." Daphne sat back down on the couch and let him continue._

"_I essentially flipped out. Not because I couldn't handle it. I mean I only had a year left of university, and my parents had money, so did hers, I was just… more worried that I would be a parent with a girl I didn't even know. I wasn't even friends with her, I'd met her there and I figured I'd never see her again. Luckily, a few days later she said she went to the doctor and wasn't pregnant." Daphne nodded sympathetically._

"_But I was spooked enough that I vowed not to have sex with another girl until I was in an actual relationship." Daphne held in a laugh._

"_When's the last time that happened." It was rhetorical, she was trying to make a point, but Wilke answered anyway._

"_Us, actually, in high school. I haven't seriously dated anyone since then, and although I studied hard, I partied harder."_

"_Obviously." Daphne stated, mockingly. Wilke gave her a smile, a genuine one._

"_Really though, I didn't have the time or patience." Daphne nodded._

"_Alright. Well we should probably call it a night, you killed the mood anyway." Daphne said with a grin as she got up. Wilke, sitting on the couch, grabbed her hand and pulled her back on his lap._

"_Say you'll go out with me." Daphne laughed._

"_What? Why?" Wilke shrugged._

"_I like you. We have sensational chemistry, and we got along great in high school." Wilke smiled at the memories, and watched her remember them in her expressions._

"_We got along great because you were desperate, and I was naïve." She decided. Wilke put a hand on his heart, pretending to be wounded._

"_You know I've done a lot of growing up since then." Wilke says seriously. Daphne nods, acknowledging his maturity._

"_Well so have I. And I know better than to go down this road. It's bound to be dysfunctional." Wilke smiled._

"_Oh, what would you know, I'm the only guy you've dated." Daphne then got a little self righteous. What, did he think she was waiting for him, that she couldn't do better?_

"_I dated Emmett for a bit, and Jackson."_

"_Who is Jackson?" Wilke said, tilting his head._

"_A friend of Emmett's. We dated for three months during my senior year." Wilke shrugged._

"_Fine. I didn't mean to offend you, I mean I'm sure the offers are always pouring in." Wilke ran his hand up her soft leg, simply because he couldn't help himself. Just because he wasn't dining didn't mean he couldn't smell the entrée. _

"_Don't test me pretty boy, I'll jump you if you keep this physical thing up." Daphne warned, removing his hand. _

_Wilke smiled, and was happy to see that he was turned on about the way Daphne had grown up. She was still reserved, polite, and respectable. At the same time she was a heavy drinker, an amazing kisser and had learned how to deliver comebacks like Bay, with her own twist. It was also, very, very nice to know she was as attracted to him as he was to her. _

"_Daphne, that hurts. Come on, I'll woo you if you like, but we both know you'll end up saying yes, so let's just skip to the good part." _

"_The good part?" Wilke nodded._

"_Yes. When we actually get to date." Daphne shrugged._

"_Fine." Daphne said._

"_Really?" Wilke asked. Daphne stood up and walked back to the guesthouse._

"_Really. Pick me up at 8 tomorrow."_

* * *

><p>Emmett watched his best friend walk down the aisle, and he smiled, proud at how things had turned out for her, she deserved this. Bay was in front of Daphne, he knew, but he didn't have the courage to look, until she passed right by him, not sending him a single glance. He felt like the school nerd watching the cheerleader.<p>

Bay walked with a grace enviable of dancers and models, as she took her place to the right of the altar. Emmett half watched the priest's signs, and half watched Bay. Seeing the beautiful girl he was so tragically in love with, after three years, he wanted to sing. His heart was flipping around in his stomach, and he wanted to cry at the thought that he'd been gone so long, too long.

Emmett had at least seven albums, filled with nothing but pictures and pictures of Bay that he had accumulated in the three years they had dated, and none of them, not a single one had done justice. Melody squeezed Emmett's hand sympathetically as she saw the way he was looking at Bay, longingly, melancholy.

Bay was doing a much better job at masking her emotions, at focusing at the task at hand. Bay knew where he was sitting, he was sitting in the second row of the left-hand side, she knew because she had written out the entire seating plan, on purpose. That way, she knew where not to look, and she didn't. Bay promised to be here for Daphne, to celebrate and be happy for Daphne and Wilke, and she was. She would worry and hurt about Emmett tonight, after Daphne and Wilke had boarded their plane to Italy and she had the apartment to herself to cry, look at pictures of Emmett, eat ice cream and hug Steven.

Emmett stared at her, into her beautiful eyes, her face, her curled hair and begged for him to look at her. Suddenly, then, she did. And he regretted wishing she had, because as gorgeous as Bay was, she stared into his eyes with a burning hatred of nothingness. She looked back in Emmett's bright blue eyes and her expression was blank, as if he was meaningless. He meant nothing to her.

* * *

><p><em>Emmett had been gone from Mission Hills for exactly 22 days. He had changed his cell phone number, and had been traveling, true to his word. He knew he would apply to Gaudellet for next school year, and so for now he would only work, and travel, slowly making his way to the East Coast.<em>

_Emmett had secured a job at a restaurant in Indiana called Little Miss Steaks. All he did was clean up tables and wash dishes, take out garbage and clean. It was reasonable pay, and he was surprised that the owner had hired him at all, considering he didn't speak, and couldn't hear. _

_Everyday, after work, he returned to whichever cheap motel he was staying at and just looked at pictures of Bay, or wrote and took pictures. Emmett wanted to be a journalist, and was currently writing obits for the Scottsburg Journal. It wasn't much, but everyone had to start somewhere. To write, though, he needed a computer. He had his laptop, and had skilfully avoided checking his emails. He knew Bay was a bright girl, and after questioning Daphne, her family, and Melody, she would call him again and again, text incessantly, before finally emailing. _

_He knew his mom would want to talk to him as well, and had probably sent him an email, as well as Daphne, so at this point, her really couldn't avoid it. Emmett was greeted with 34 new emails. 20 from Bay, 5 from Daphne, 6 from Melody, and a few stray emails from Wilke, Toby and Jackson. Emmett scrolled down and noticed Bay had emailed him almost everyday, with no subject line. He carefully clicked Open to the earliest message._

"_Emmett. _

_I'm sorry about what happened, it was my fault, I shouldn't have wandered off. I am so sorry, but I need you now more than ever. I shouldn't have been stupid, and I want you to know that I can't live this way. I can't have you away from me, Emmett, I love you, more than anything, I miss you, you can't just pick up and leave and expect me to just let you go…"_

_Emmett put a palm to his face and took a shaky breath, not letting himself cry, again. He swiftly exed the window before clicking the "delete all" button. That had to have been it, that moment. That was the moment Emmett knew he could never go home, could never be with Bay ever again._

* * *

><p>PLEASE REVIEW! This chapter is a bit heavy on the Dilke, but I assure you this is all essential to lead up to the big Bemmet confrontation! Ideas, questions, criticism or compliments, I read them all and I love you for taking the time to review my work!<p> 


	3. Chapter 3

Story: Listen To Your Heart

Author: gddg3696

Disclaimer: I own nothing Switched at Birth

A/N: Thank you for all the positive feedback! I wanted to let you guys know that I really love this story, but I have to pick up the pace on my other one. I have to wrap that one up soon because I know if I don't, I will just continue this story and forget about Hear Me Weep! :P So it might be a while before I update this one again. Note, this chapter is very short. Shortest thing I've written yet. Sorry. This chapter also does not have the Bemmett confrontation I know some of you were hoping for, and trust me, I'm very excited for that one as well. Be patient! It will be coming soon, I just need to tie up some loose ends to get there. Lastly, I did not know Wilke's full name. I improvised. If someone knows or if they reveal on the show, I'll adjust. Thanks readers! Enjoy!

* * *

><p>"Do you, Daphne Paloma Vasquez take William Kevin Kenneth as your lawfully wedded husband?"<p>

The minister both said and signed. Daphne and Wilke were concerned at first, at the challenge of finding a minister that wasn't deaf, but signed. They had lucked out, as Daphne knew they would with Bay as the wedding planner.

Daphne and Wilke were both smiling at each other through their tears, holding hands. It didn't matter that there were over three hundred people were watching, or that Daphne couldn't hear what the minister was saying. All that mattered was this was exactly the way she wanted things to go.

"I do." Daphne said, proudly, while a couple more tears fell from her eyes.

"And do you, William Kevin Kenneth take Daphne Paloma Vasquez are your lawfully wedded wife?" Wilke broke out into a megawatt smile.

"I do." Wilke shed a few tears, as the minister said something along the lines of kiss and bride.

During the rehearsal, when Bay announced the part about kissing the bride, Wilke and Daphne had kissed like they normally did. Which generally led to more than kissing. Bay yelled at them, asking if they wanted to have their honeymoon right there on the altar because they were basically going at it. They practiced a shorter kiss.

It was hard, though. Daphne was now Daphne Paloma Kenneth. It was the most beautiful thing in the world and although she tried, she knew the kiss was a little longer than Bay would have approved of. Wilke of course made no effort to end it either, until Ty cleared his throat.

Everyone cheered and hugged the happy couple as they held hands and everyone left the ceremony to the destination of the wedding reception, at the Vaughn Country Club, where Toby, Wilke and Bay practically grew up.

It was a beautiful venue, there was a gorgeous ballroom, as well as an incredible upstairs balcony that gave a perfect view of the stars. Bay, Wilke and Toby had been in the grand ballroom a total of maybe 6 time collectively, as only monumental events were held there.

"How does it feel to be a Mrs.?" Wilke asked kissing Daphne on the temple while they were driven to their reception. Daphne smiled and planted a kiss on his cheek.

"The best feeling in the world."

* * *

><p><em>Ty had been gone a month, and although Bay wasn't as bad as before, she certainly wasn't as bubbly as she was around Christmas time. Daphne was sitting on the couch, as she just got back from her morning class at the Arts Institute. Daphne originally was going to attend Parkville with Bay, but she got a late acceptance to the Arts Institute International, stating that they apologized for her late entry; it was delayed because she was nominated for a scholarship. Daphne received two years tuition to the school and her family had supported her following her dreams.<em>

_Daphne absolutely loved cooking, and at first it was only a genuine hobby. When she graduated high school, though, she knew it was more than that. It was a passion, it was what she wanted to do with the rest of her life. She knew it was hard to make a successful business herself, she knew nothing about finance. But she knew how to cook, and she knew that if she ever got the opportunity to satisfy people's stomachs, she would take it._

_Daphne saw Steven run to the door and figured since Bay was at her English Lit class at Parkville, it had to have been Wilke. She went to open the door to see Wilke with three bags of groceries practically falling out of his hands._

"_Hey sweetie." Wilke said, and kissed her on the lips. Daphne smiled and grabbed one of the bags, lying in on the kitchen counter._

"_So, what's with the restocking of the fridge?" Daphne asked. Wilke shrugged._

"_Bay's been a little down, and you've been having a tough time with that chicken entrée research project, so I figured I'd make your favourite meal." Daphne's face lit up._

"_Cheese quesadillas?" Daphne was a mean quesadilla maker; it was practically what she grew up on. But it was a tedious and complex recipe that Regina had constructed, and Daphne hadn't the time to make any from scratch herself in a while._

"_Yep. Regina sent me the recipe last week and I tried it with her while you had that five-day fieldtrip in New York. It was incredible, if I do say so myself." Daphne clapped her hands excitedly and kissed him on the cheek before prepping the ingredients._

_While the meat was cooking-for Bay and Wilke- and the vegetables were simmering- mostly for Daphne- Wilke and Daphne were rolling the dough for the tortillas. Daphne giggled at the memories she had of doing this when she was nine or ten years old. Wilke laughed too, because Daphne was quite cute. _

_Daphne looked over at Wilke, her boyfriend of over a year and thought about everything they'd been threw. Sure, there had been fights, especially with the whole language barrier. Wilke was a pretty good signer though, and just because people didn't see it, didn't mean they didn't disagree. Their relationship was very comfortable though, she felt very alive, and really overall… giddy. Excited, whenever she was with him, and even now, doing something as mundane as cooking dinner with him and still being as happy as she was with whatever they did made her realize that this was love. That is what love was, being happy no matter what you're doing, so long as you're together. Wilke turned to Daphne, because he'd felt her prolonged stare at the side of his face, and before he could get a word out, she spoke._

"_I love you." Daphne said, as if it were an hourly occurrence, as if she were commenting on the weather. Daphne said it so naturally and effortlessly, as if she had said it a million times before when in reality this was the first time it was rolling off her tongue. Daphne continued to mix the dough as if it was no big deal._

_But it was, to Wilke, because he had been in love with Daphne for a while._

"_What?" Wilke spit out, barely getting his hands to sign. Daphne turned to him smiling._

"_I." She said, kissing the skin between his shoulder and his neck. _

"Love_." This word Daphne exaggerated as she said it to his face and kissed under his jaw, a hotspot for Wilke. She couldn't hear it, exactly, but she felt the vibration that meant Wilke had growled a little._

"_You." She whispered in his ear, and kissed right behind it. Wilke quickly hoisted Daphne up so she was at his level and sitting on the counter. They proceeded to kiss for a while until Wilke pulled away._

"_Uh, uh." Daphne said and grabbed his collar so his face was as close to hers as possible, and he kissed her nose. Wilke grabbed her hands and pulled away definitely this time, leaving Daphne pouting a little._

"_You can't read my lips when they're busy, and I can't sign when my hands are… all over you." Daphne blushed and smiled, while she motioned for him to go ahead and talk. _

"_Whatever you have to say it better be worth you keeping a willing me waiting." Daphne winked and Wilke smiled softly. He caressed her red hair away from her face and Daphne leaned into his hand._

"_I love you too, you know." Wilke grinned. "Worth it?" He asked teasingly as he leaned in._

"_Almost." Daphne said, and dragged him to their room. They had burnt quesadillas that night, and they were the best Daphne had ever tasted._

* * *

><p>"No, no, no, I'll find someone to blame later, for now I want to know how you're going to fix it within the next 20 minutes, because guests will be pouring in momentarily. No, I'm still here. Everyone already left, I called to check in!" Bay continued to yell at the men she had hired for tables. They were one round, 12-seater table short, and Bay wouldn't tolerate having Wilke's great cousins from Ireland eating on the floor.<p>

Bay had organized it so that the newlyweds and their closest friends and family were sitting in the middle, ideal for speeches. The only people obligated to write a prepared speech with screening from Bay had been Toby, Regina, and John. Everyone else could write there own and spontaneously announce it, but it was a strict schedule and Bay had timed everything perfectly. The bridal party head table consisted of Wilke and Daphne, Toby on Wilke's right, Ty beyond that, Emmett, Melody, Wilke's parents, John, Kathryn, Regina, ending with Bay on Daphne's left.

The closer you were to the head table, the closer you were to the newlyweds. That is how Bay designed it, and that was how it was meant to be appreciated. So a delay, because her table guys miscounted, was not an option.

"Well you better drive fast, then. I want the table there, ready to go, with the name placers I ordered, as well as the cutlery, napkins, and centerpiece." Bay hung up the phone and massaged her temples the way she did when she was frustrated. A couple of months after visiting Emmett, Wilke had popped the question. Bay was thrilled for the girl she had come to know as a sister, and just as thrilled for an opportunity to distract herself from Emmett. She had finished her degree at Parkville and knew that she would be starting to teach at Carlton in the fall, so she had put all her effort into this wedding.

They deserved to remember this day as the happiest of their lives.

* * *

><p><em>Bay hobbled her way from Kathryn's car into her studio. <em>

"_Bay, honey, we really should set you up upstairs." Bay looked at her mother, her worrisome mother and let go of her crutches to put a hand on her mother shoulder._

"_Mom, come on. The walking distance between my room on the second floor and the studio are about the same, with no risk of a giant staircase." Kathryn nodded understandingly. _

"_I'm going to come check in on you every couple hours, alright? To give you pain medication, food, and help to wobble to the bathroom, okay? And I'll have my cellphone attached to my hip if…"_

"_You wanna install a baby monitor, too?" Bay asked, as she continued walking to the studio. Kathryn sighed and helped her get in. Taped on the door was an envelope with her name scribbled messily in what she was sure was Emmett's handwriting._

_From what Daphne had told her, Emmett had stayed by her side everyday for the first week. He got up exactly twice everyday, two bathroom breaks, and other than that, he would sit in a chair and hold her hand. Sometimes he would whisper things in her ear, and sometimes he would just sit. He wouldn't talk, if anyone else was in the room, and he only ate when Regina or Melody threatened to kick him out if he didn't. He asked for a cot three days in a row so he could sleep there before the sleeping staff notified him he wasn't allowed to stay there anymore. _

_The second week Emmett still visited everyday, but for not as long. The third week he sat by her bedside and cried for a day straight, before kissing her and leaving. Five days later she woke up._

_Or that's what Daphne told her. Bay really didn't know. All she did know was that she missed her boyfriend, and she hadn't seen him in what was in reality, three weeks. _

_She didn't want to open the letter in front of her mother, so she waited until Kathryn had adjusted the pull out couch, made the bed and given her something to eat._

_It was weird about Emmett, actually. Bay had woken up in the hospital two days ago with Kathryn on one side of the bed, and Daphne on the other. Regina walked in with coffee crying at the sight, and called the doctor over. Later everyone she knew practically visited her, but she hadn't seen Emmett. Bay was too tired and doped up to actually speak or sign much, so she just nodded to agree, shook her head to disagree, smile when something was funny and pout when something wasn't. It was pretty effective; no wonder newborns always got their way._

_After getting checked out and going through physiotherapy, she returned home two days later. She had been lucky, they told her. A broken shin, stitches and staples on both legs and a three-week coma. Yep, she felt like a winner all right._

_Bay wasn't sure what she expected to see in the letter, but it wasn't this._

"_Bay,_

_I can't do this anymore._

_I'm sorry._

_Goodbye,_

_Emmett." _

_Bay frowned for a bit. Couldn't do what? What did he mean? He didn't mean that he couldn't be with her, did he? Things had been going sensationally the other day- well, the other month technically. What had she done that made him want to… to? _

_No. Bay didn't accept it. This wasn't a breakup letter. It couldn't be. She stormed to Daphne's house (she actually walked at a turtle pace. Crutches and all) and knocked on the door. Regina told her Daphne was out, so Bay waited in the driveway. Not two minutes later, the woman in question pulled up._

"_What is this?" Bay handed Daphne the note, and Daphne, with eyes that looked like she had been crying a little picked up the note. She read it once, Bay saw her mouth the words. Then she just stared at the paper until Bay snatched it out of her hands again._

"_Tell me, Daphne." Bay said, on the verge of tears. Daphne took a deep breath. Bay wanted her to say, "It's a joke Bay, don't worry." Or "He'll explain tonight, he means about something else." But she didn't say that._

"_I'm sorry, Bay." Daphne said. That was it, as if it were supposed to make Bay feel infinitely better. Bay shook her head._

"_Drive me to Emmett's place." Bay demanded. Daphne sighed once more._

"_Bay, I don't think…" _

"_Daphne. Take me to Emmett's house." Bay said in a quiet voice, with soft signs. Daphne knew however, it was a loaded gun. She reluctantly nodded and helped Bay into the back seat. _

_After arriving at Melody's house where Emmett stayed when they were all in town, Bay made her way to the door. She hadn't realized how hard it would be to sign on crutches, she would have to stop and talk from now on._

"_Where's Emmett?" Bay asked. Melody's eyes widened. Melody had partially expected Bay would stop by and partially hoped she wouldn't. Melody had formed a bond with Bay, ever since she fought for Emmett in high school, and Melody was a phenomenal teacher of sign. Melody found Bay quite dear to her heart, and she hated her son for entrusting in her the responsibility to explain to Bay. Well, explain what she could._

"_I'm not exactly sure, Bay. He took off sometime last week, said he was traveling. He told me he would be in touch, but he cancelled his cellphone bill. He said there was no point if he would have to pay roaming charges." Bay shook her head in disbelief._

"_So what, he just took off while I was on the hospital bed, didn't even want to see me before I left?" Bay only spoke, as her hands were clutching the crutches that were holding her up otherwise she would be limp on the floor from her knees giving out._

_Melody sadly hugged Bay and accepted the hug. Bay then pulled away, shaking her head as if it would rid her of this nightmare. _

"_Can I please go look in his room?" _

"_I already checked, but okay." Melody said, helping her way to the room. Melody closed the door behind her and Bay hopped around._

_It still smelled just like Emmett and she grabbed his pillow, breathing him in. She opened his closet and noticed almost all of his clothes were gone. Besides that, his laptop, his bag, was all gone. The most striking thing, though, that Bay noticed, was that there were no more pictures of Bay on his wall. There were still some of Daphne, his family, and his friends. But three quarters of the wall, all pictures of Bay had disappeared._

_So Bay sat down on his bed and knew that he really had left her, and she let herself cry._

* * *

><p>Emmett wanted to cry. Bay was so beautiful, so strong, so stunning and she wasn't his. He'd come back for Daphne's wedding, but he'd also come back because he was done university. He had a job here now, at the Kansas City Star, and he felt like an idiot.<p>

Emmett had left because he was a coward, and he knew that. He had been insecure, a child, running away because he had guilted himself into thinking that if he had been hearing, Bay wouldn't have gotten hurt. He thought it was proof that Bay and him weren't meant to be, and neither were hearing and deaf people.

He thought Daphne and Wilke would break up, he figured it was a definite eventuality. They hadn't. Instead, after two years of commitment, Daphne told Emmett she was getting married. He had never seen her happier. How could Daphne, being deaf, and Wilke, being hearing, be together if Bay and him couldn't? He'd pondered the question and realized that him and Bay could have, if he stayed.

He was the one who left, who took off with no explanation and was now back, with nothing to offer her but an apology and a broken heart. She should hate him, and should never want him again, he could never ask her to forgive him. But he had to try.

* * *

><p>"<em>Daphne, please. I'm desperate." Daphne rolled her eyes at Emmett through the webcam.<em>

_Emmett had always kept in touch with Daphne, but it was generally an email every week. She didn't tell Bay, because she knew that Emmett was ignoring Bay's emails. He actually created another account and only have it to Melody and Daphne, keeping his connection to them very slim. Emmett always asked about Bay, because he missed her. Daphne was honest in her answers, though. "She's a wreck. She's crying. She doesn't talk." Daphne wasn't influencing Emmett to come back, she had promised to be supportive. But it was hard when Bay was crying all the time._

"_Of course you are. If you want to see her, you'll have to come back." _

"_You know I can't do that." Emmett stated._

"_No, I don't know that."_

"_Please, Daphne?" Daphne sighed._

"_Fine. The things I do for you two."_

_Daphne and Emmett were video chatting, silently, signing only, when Emmett had abruptly demanded she show him Bay. Daphne immediately refused, because seeing Emmett would be horrible for her. Emmett begged her to just, minimize the window, pretend it was a call to Regina, no video, and just show him to her._

_Daphne walked out, and placed the laptop on the coffee table where Bay had her feet propped up, while she filled in homework on the couch. Daphne sat next to her._

"_Regina's on call and wants to know how you're doing. We haven't visited since last month, so let's update her. She'll type if she needs to say anything, the mic stopped working again." Bay shrugged._

"_It's good. I got the job at Carlton! They said they needed an art/English teacher, and I took the job!" Bay always signed and spoke, so Emmett kept up as he could, but Daphne was surprised._

"_Carlton? I thought you were going for a teaching position at Buckner… you're alumni, after all." Bay shrugged._

"_I know I'm not deaf, but the hearing culture really is profoundly special to me. It'll be nice to keep in touch with that, to connect with kids that way." Daphne ignored the fact that Emmett was watching all these signs and she continued to question Bay._

"_Are you sure you want to do this after, you know…" Bay rolled her eyes._

"_You and Wilke are moving out, getting married. Toby's already set for life, and Emmett's moved on. It's time I did too. I'm done sitting around waiting for him to come back." Daphne nodded._

"_Whatever you say." Bay glanced at the screen._

"_Is Regina still there?" Daphne picked up the laptop and tilted it so Bay wouldn't see too well._

"_Not anymore."_

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><p>Hope you guys thought this one was okay... not my proudest moment. Anyway, next chapter's going to be awesome, but I can't post it unless I know people are reading! Please review, guys, they make my day! Ideas, questions, critique or compliments, I read it all and I love you for taking the time to review my work! Thanks!<p> 


	4. Chapter 4

Story: Listen To Your Heart

Author: gddg3696

Disclaimer: I own nothing Switched at Birth

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><p>AN: You guys have no idea how much feedback I've been getting, I appreciate every SINGLE one of my reviews, they really encourage me to write more. Anyway, as you all probably know, SAB took a leave after the summer and, as you all probably also know, I did as well. I haven't been watching because I can't find it online anymore, but just recently I was able to. So, naturally, it got me back in the mood to continue writing. Sorry for the wait, readers! I'll have the next update up probably somewhere around next week. Here's your long awaited chapter, short and sweet, I hope! Review!

Bay hadn't let Daphne see the ballroom, or the ceremony decorations until the day of. Daphne had put up a bit of a fight, but Bay had assured her that the full effect would let her appreciate it better. Looking at Daphne's face as she walked into the dining room, Bay knew she had made the right decision.

Daphne and Wilke both looked mesmerized as family and friends greeted them, and Bay led them to their seats. After everyone enjoyed their delicious meals- another item on the short list of things Bay had allowed Daphne to pick out- everyone quieted down from their idle chatter as Toby struck his champagne glass, signalling an oncoming toast.

Bay had read Toby's speech and knew it as well as her own, so instead of listening in admiration, she concentrated on what she had been doing the entire dinner. Avoiding Emmett. The seating arrangement went with Wilke, then Daphne, Bay, Regina, Melody, Emmett, Kathryn, John, Wilke's parents, Ty and finally Toby. Bay hadn't locked eyes with him the entire almost-hour, and although she kept up conversation for Daphne's sake, she knew better than to speak up when Emmett was communicating.

Only after everyone began to clap and cheer did Bay realize it was her turn to speak. She got up, and began her rehearsed words.

"Let met start off by saying that my relationships with Daphne and Wilke have never been simple. What with Daphne's and my family's complications, obviously our relationship reflected our families conflicts. We didn't love each other right away, understandably, but during these past years, that all changed…"

Bay continued to let the words and signs flow freely, trying to put in as much enthusiasm and sincerity in her voice and signs, but it was difficult. She had prepped herself for sitting at the same table as him, but being so close to Emmett after not seeing him for a year was like that time in freshman year of high school.

Bay had done a 30-hour famine for charity, and had eaten and drunken nothing for those 30 hours, save for water and juice. Afterwards, her family took her to a buffet, a full meal. There was too much at once, it was overwhelming, and she threw up afterwards.

With a shaky breath and a burst of applause, Bay sat down, but felt no relief in the action. She wasn't finished with the battle yet. Before Bay could even try and calm herself with a soothing breath, Emmett stood up. She still didn't look him in the eye, but she saw his dark grey suit standing vertical and instantly knew.

He began to sign that he wanted to make a speech, and he didn't care if no one understood, because the people that needed to understand would.

"Emmett's going to make a speech." Wilke said, because despite Emmett thinking this, Wilke was too open to not share the speech with his parents, at the least. Bay quickly stood up.

"You're not interpreting on your wedding day, I'll do it." Bay only signed, and Wilke nodded. Bay partially turned to Emmett, making sure to only see his hands.

His hands, the same ones that had signed to her for hours at a time, the same hands that held her face when they kissed. The same hands that gathered hair out of her face and the same hand that was around her shoulder when they walked. The same hand that had written a note of goodbye over three years ago. Emmett was looking at his long lost love, but not in her eyes. They both knew better to avoid that.

"We met when we were little Daphne, and I like to think I have credit for introducing you into the deaf world properly. I remember when I first saw you; you had your red hair in a messy ponytail and were walking to school with Adrianna. I hadn't even known you were deaf yet, but I did know that you were full of life, the way you looked at the clouds and stopping to smell the flowers, literally." Daphne put on a surprised face, as Emmett hadn't ever told her he'd seen her before the encounter in the second grade.

"We grew up together, and we've been through so much. From adjusting to the deaf community to meeting the Kennishes, you have always had my best interest in heart, as I have for you, out of love. So I know you're making a wise decision in marrying Wilke." Daphne smiled brightly, as did Wilke as he kissed his wife's hand.

"Granted, when I first got to know Wilke, you two were drunk in the back of a car. And I've found you both drunk in other places since then." The crowd howled with laughter at this, recognizing Wilke's personality, and Daphne, truly then was a blushing bride.

"But I'm glad you've found each other. I'm so proud of you both, and I'm glad you've found someone to love and cherish forever. I can only hope to…" Emmett continued to sign animatedly until he realized Bay had stopped talking. Her eyes had glazed over a bit, and Daphne widened her eyes in alarm.

She saw in Bay's eyes the same look she had seen for days and weeks and months on end the year he left, and a ghost of a look she caught Bay wearing even now, every once in a while. Usually, though, she would shy herself away from the pain and be back to her almost-normal self within minutes. Bay did precisely that now.

She quickly asked Emmett to repeat his sentence, and he ground his teeth and nodded as he did.

"I can only hope to find someone to love forever as you both have. Congratulations!" Even Melody could sense Bay's fake cheeriness at the phrase, but everyone laughed at clapped just the same.

"Dad, why don't you give your speech now?" Bay suggested, as she excused herself slowly to go to the bathroom. Daphne stared at Bay cautiously, and Bay rolled her eyes and signed she was fine; she wanted Daphne to enjoy herself.

Emmett, obviously, saw the exchange and opened his mouth, backed up his chair, in an attempt to accomplish something even he then didn't know. With Bay's back to him, he tried to decide whether he was going to go after her, if this was the time, if he should wait…

And then the decision was made for him, as Ty stood up and followed Bay towards the bathroom.

* * *

><p>"You're unbelievable." Emmett could see Bay's jarring signs from the corner of his eye. He rolled his eyes then as he faced the window, trying to ignore what she was saying to him.<p>

"I'm the unbelievable one? He's being ridiculous! Every time he's in town it's as if he thinks just because we're not hitched, you two can play games while I turn the other way."

"What are you talking about? This has nothing to do with us not being married; he knows we're together! And playing games? That's insane, Emmett, he knows I'm with you." Emmett shook his head denying her claims.

"Then why is he putting the moves on you?" Now it's Bay's turn to roll her eyes.

"Emmett, be reasonable! He's my friend. You have Daphne, and I have Ty, what's wrong with that, he's like a brother to me!" Emmett's frown deepens as he signs back.

"A brother you almost had sex with?" Bay looks taken aback, and even he knows it was below the belt. Bay regains her sense of purpose and continues to debate with him.

"I didn't though, and that was two years ago. Speaking of best friends we almost had sex with…" Bay raises her eyes in a way that makes him think she wanted him to jump in with a defense. He weighs the pros and cons of yelling some more. He decides to continue.

"Look, all I'm saying is, I'm your boyfriend, and I don't appreciate him being all over you whenever he's in town. I see the way he smiles at you." Emmett said, flexing his fist. It was still sore.

"Emmett. He's in the army. He doesn't know any other girls, it's fine if he wants to smile at me."

"Maybe he should meet a new girl, because you're mine." Bay raised her eyebrows at him, as even though he hadn't heard it, Bay had actually heard Emmett growl a little. Very menacingly.

As a general rule, Bay didn't find the whole possessive boyfriend thing a turn on. Actually, she, as a general rule, thought of it as rather controlling. But on Emmett it was sexy.

"What is up with you?"

"I just want to know why you spend so much time with him!" Bay scoffs and quickly signs right up in his face.

"Are you even paying attention to the signs flowing from your hands? Ty's in town for like collectively 4 weeks a year, sorry for trying to make his homecomings matter." Emmett rolled his eyes.

"I love you. Does that not count for anything anymore? You're the one I love, and the one I want to be with, okay? You can't go around hitting people, people in the army, the next time they kiss me on the cheek. Or try to, anyway, it's a little hard when a drummer's fist is coming at the side of their face as fast as yours was." Emmett's anger evaporates then, and he realizes he was wrong.

Emmett had _dated_ Daphne last year. The least he could do is let Ty see Bay, and Emmett shuddered at the next thought, and let him kiss her on the cheek. Once every couple of years, maybe.

Bay then pulls up to Emmett's dormitory and he frowns.

"I thought I was staying at your place tonight?" He asked. Bay parks the car and unlocks his door.

"And I thought I was having dinner with Ty this evening." Emmett pulls a face.

"Oh, come on Bay, I'm sorry, I didn't mean it…."

"A punch in the nose says it all, Emmett, see you later." Emmett signs some more but Bay deliberately looks away from him, the equivalent to turning up the music so not to hear someone speak. Emmett sighs and gets out of a car.

"I'm sorry, Bay."

"Yeah, yeah, I'll call you later, after I finish up my dinner." Emmett makes his way over to her window and taps it lightly. Bay rolls it down smiling a little.

"I love you." Emmett reminds her, with his voice, and then using his mouth to kiss her in a way that made Bay want to let him back in the car. But she didn't.

"I love you too. See you later." Emmett nods, holding the ice pack to his fist for a little while longer, before happily skipping to his room in comfortable security that Bay Kennish was definitely his.

* * *

><p>"Hey, you alright?" Ty called as he found Bay lying on a sofa by the balcony. She had managed to keep her makeup in place but he saw tears forming in her eyes. Bay gave Ty a soft smile when she saw him.<p>

"Should have gone with waterproof." Bay jokes, as she fans her face with her hands. Ty chuckles for her benefit, and sits down next to her.

"What's up, Bay?" Bay gives him a long look, as if to say, you know what. And he did, but he contemplated his next words very carefully because as much as Bay meant to him, the last thing he would want to do while she was in this vulnerable state was lie to make her feel better.

"Bay, he hasn't heard from you in years." Ty starts out softly. "Did you really think that he would be holding out for you all this time?" Ty feels rotten even as he just only thinks the words, but he follows through with them anyway. Bay laughs mockingly, almost deliriously as she shakes her head. She follows up matching Ty's previous soft tone of voice.

"No, I knew he wouldn't. It just hurts all the more hearing him say it in his own words to my face."

Ty sighs and takes the pretty girl in his arms, and thinks of all the times he had held her through the years. When Emmett had dated Daphne in high school for exactly 9 days, when Emmett had first left Bay years ago, every time he visited and he caught her looking at pictures of Emmett. Emmett, Emmett, Emmett!

Ty had shaken the guy's hand when Emmett and Melody had arrived, as he had been in charge of ushering those to their seats at the reception, and while Emmett shook his hand as well, anyone could tell he was distracted.

Ty had seen Emmett stare longingly at Bay throughout the ceremony. He loved her, he was back, and was hurting her still.

* * *

><p>Once. Emmett had tried to move on one time, and that was a disastrous idea in and of itself. It was a horrible attempt that had given Emmett the end result of a red, palm shaped mark on his face, and a hangover so bad he swore to never drink again.<p>

He couldn't blame Bay for pursuing a relationship with someone other than him. He had more or less tried to do the same, to be interested in another girl. Although useless, he had executed something similar.

Emmett sighed at the memory as he took another sip of his champagne glass, watching his best friend twirl on the dance floor, ecstatic from her fairytale wedding. He saw Bay and Ty approach then, as they took their turn to join the newlyweds in their celebration.

* * *

><p>"Emmett. Seriously. It's our junior year you have to go! Next year we'll be seniors, king of the college, but until then, it's time to party! No more studying, no more summer jobs, let's just… celebrate?" Hayden, Emmett's roommate kept trying to coerce Emmett into joining the end of year kick off party at the Hollis dorm.<p>

"Dude. I don't go out. You know that." Emmett had lived with Hayden for a year, and although they had become rather close, Hayden had never succeeded in persuading Emmett to leaving the confines of the room other than to attend class or to get food.

"Fine. I'll go for now, but I want to hear that you stopped by at SOME point in time. It's good for you, Emmett."

Emmett had rolled his eyes dryly and had continued surf the internet on his computer. Near 11 o clock, it bored him and he decided to do something he only did when he was absolutely sure that no one would interrupt him, when he was sure he would be alone for a long stretch of time.

He sighed as he looked at pictures of Bay. Hayden had found one of the albums and had asked Emmett with a straight face whether he was a stalker. Emmett had vehemently denied it, claiming it was his girlfriend back home.

It was easy to pretend they were still dating, when he was faraway, and it was a go-to excuse when girls tried to ask him out. Which they had. Since Emmett had left, his first year gone, spent traveling and freelancing, a girl named Tonia had asked him out for coffee after he bumped into her on the streets. The first thing he'd thought to do was sign crazily and mouth that he was deaf.

She followed up by signing back. Fantastic, he'd thought at the time, his one escape route, and she knew how to sign. Then he followed up with telling her he had to go, and with his back to her, running as fast as he could, he didn't know what she was saying or thinking.

The next girl to ask him out was Danielle, a girl in his English class junior year. She was nice, sweet enough and they had been assigned partners to a couple assignments. A few months ago she had asked him to go to a party as friends and he had ran for the hills. Unfortunately, he ran into her again. And again. It was hard to avoid someone when you lived on the same classes, ate in the same cafeteria and attended the same classes.

Just last week she had asked him to another party, she was stubborn. Emmett had continually made up excuses, because she knew he didn't have a girlfriend. She had asked him why she never visited, why he never talked about her and he hadn't known what to say. She was convinced Emmett was only "shy".

Before Emmett could continue his ponderings on ignoring any attempts to move on, Hayden stumbled through the doorway in a drunken mess and onto the floor.

"Bro, are you alright?" Hayden wasn't looking at Emmett's hands consistently, and when he was they were glassy. He was drunk as a skunk. Emmett sighed, and tried to haul Hayden to his top bunk. Finally he gave up, and just lay Hayden on his own bed at the bottom.

"You…NEED NEED NEED… to go out. Promised." Emmett sighed.

"No." Emmett signed slowly, and Hayden got up haphazardly and turned on all the lights. The ceiling light, bathroom light, lamps, computer, TV, disco light by the windows, and began dancing like an idiot.

"I'll stop when you leave." Emmett sighed and grabbed his coat. He would leave, take a fifteen minute walk around campus, and when Hayden was passed out on the floor in his underwear, Emmett would come back and hoist the guy into bed. Solid plan.

Emmett walked around until a sight caught him short.

"Hey, you! Want to help me… Emmett?" What he saw made him want to laugh a little. Danielle was dragging a boy with a pink boa and a crown on his head by the hand, while the apparent drag queen had a turtle backpack and a bottle of vodka in his arms.

Emmett couldn't fathom what was coming out of the chum's mouth, but it looked like he was singing. Or screaming, whichever.

"Are you okay?" Emmett signed, slowly, in case she was drunk, too. Danielle rolled her eyes and smiled.

"I'm fine, calm down. Drinky here is having a little trouble, want to help me drag him back to Greenbriar?" Emmett looked at her doubtfully. It was a small college, four on-campus dorms, about a hundred students per dorm, and Greenbriar was right around the corner from the McCormick dorm, where they were standing on the sidewalk deliberating as of now.

"Why? What exactly happened?" Emmett asked, as he grabbed "Drinky's" other hand.

"Alex is my buddy from high school, we were at the Hollis party and he had a bit too much of the keg. I caught him stripping in the kitchen with a bunch of hot dogs in hand." Emmett chuckled.

"Wow. How are we getting him up the stairs?" Danielle shrugged.

"He's first floor, thank God." Emmett nodded. After searching the ninja turtle backpack for the key, throwing out the alcohol and managing to get the guy semi dressed, Emmett and Danielle walked out of Greenbriar with accomplishment.

"Hey we should hit up the party on our way back." Emmett brought his hands up to protest.

"I can't, I have…"

"A family reunion? A job interview at the zoo? A meeting at Antisocialism Anonymous?" Emmett shook his head with a little smile. She knew the little routine, yet she bothered to ask at all, which dumbfounded Emmett.

"Look, I just don't do…"

"Laughing? Getting out of the dorm? Having a conversation? Making new friends?" Emmett houghed at a breath and stopped walking.

"No! Can't you get the message? I don't want to go out with you." Danielle rolled her eyes.

"Don't flatter yourself, I wasn't asking you out. Just thought you might actually want to interact with another human being before calling your junior year quits." Danielle headed inside Hollis and Emmett stayed outside.

He walked back and forth with his hands on his head. What did he have to lose?

* * *

><p>"You know, I'm not sure if I'm prepared to dance. Us military personnel are quite rigid." Bay rolled her eyes at her old friend.<p>

"I've noticed. Remember that time Daphne and I bet you couldn't do the worm?" Bay laughs as she remembers this.

"Good Lord, do I remember. I still have the scar somewhere underneath my gorgeous head of hair!"

"We couldn't even keep a straight face in the ER!" Ty chuckles along with her and is glad she's feeling mildly better. It's only because she hasn't seen him yet, though.

Ty led her to another corner of the room, and checked over his shoulder everyone in a while, making sure Emmett wasn't too close.

The song ended and Bay's phone rang.

"I have to take this, it's the limo people for their drive to the airport." Ty nodded understandingly as Bay skipped at quickly as her heels would take her up the gorgeous staircase for peace and quiet.

* * *

><p>"Talk to me." Bay stated, pacing back and forth on the balcony overlooking the skyline. It was nighttime now, and soon the celebrations would be over, in time for the new married couple to ride off in their limousine. If everything was going swell.<p>

"So listen, the oil hadn't been changed yet, and my guy didn't show up til late, so it looks like yer car won't be good to go for a bit." Bay raised her eyebrows.

"How long is a bit, exactly?" Bay asked, unintentionally sounding ferocious.

"Pfft… I'd say about half an hour later?" Bay nodded. It wasn't too bad, but she would need a delay in the strict schedule.

"It's a huge inconvience, you know… I booked the ride three months in advance, with specific instructions, and failure to adhere to that does not look good in the limelight…" Bay smiled a bit as she heard the guy on the end make an aggravated noise in his throat.

"I'll throw in a free limo next time you call for a ride, Ms. Kennish. I've got your name and number, all right?" Bay nodded.

"Perfect. Not a minute late."

"Gotcha."

Bay hung up, and took a deep breath steadying herself. I'm being ridiculous, she thought. If I really didn't care about Emmett, I wouldn't be so upset that he was back. Bay internally groaned. Sure, she knew that she was still in love with him, but it was much easier to live in denial while he was across the country.

"Bay?" A voice called out to her. It was rough, deep, familiar and beautiful. It was Emmett.


End file.
